Blueprint for Kingston’s Master Plan beginning to take shape

KINGSTON >> A blueprint for the city’s future – known as “Kingston 2025” – is beginning to take shape, in among other ways, as identifying goals, objectives, and strategies to implement them in neighborhoods.

During a meeting of the city’s Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, consultants said a preliminary draft plan is divided into chapters about neighborhoods as well as particular topics such as recreation, transportation, and infrastructure.

A “lengthy” section is dedicated solely to Midtown, according to consultant Max Stach, who is part of a team hired to put together the so-called Kingston Master Plan.

In speeches and during his 2011 campaign, Mayor Shayne Gallo has put emphasis on revitalizing that part of the city.

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The preliminary draft has not been made public by the consultants, the city, or the committee. City Planner Suzanne Cahill said Wednesday night that a final draft would be ready for public scrutiny in early August.

Public hearings on it will likely be held in September, Cahill said.

Consultant Daniel Shuster said the preliminary draft outlines goals and objectives for neighborhoods such as Midtown, Uptown, the Rondout, the Hudson Riverfronts, and other outlying neighborhoods.

In those chapters, the report defines strategies and opportunities, such as funding locations, to reach those goals, Stach said.

Stach said the plans is different from ones prepared in the past. Usually, those master plans focused on land use and what should go where.

Stach said once the report, which will eventually need the acceptance of Mayor Shayne Gallo and the Common Council, is finalized it should be something that doesn’t just sit on a shelf.

“It should be taken off the shelf regularly,” Stach said.

On Wednesday, there were some questions as to whether the report was being too specific.

Shuster said that consultants would try to “strike a balance” between broad strokes and being specific of particular matters.

Shuster & Turner, the consulting firm, was hired for $100,000 in March 2012 to assist in compiling the plan. The city’s last master plan was developed in 1961.

Cahill has said the final draft is expected to be about 100 pages long.

Cahill has said once the final plan is adopted city officials, it should be “revisited to be updated” every five years or so.

About the Author

Paul Kirby is a reporter for the Freeman, covering Kingston politics. He has been at the Freeman since August 1996. Reach the author at pkirby@freemanonline.com
or follow Paul on Twitter: @PaulatFreeman.